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Dave Bolland to bring the Stanley Cup to London Thursday

Dave Bolland celebrates with the Stanley Cup after the Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Boston Bruins in Game 6 of their NHL Stanley Cup Finals hockey series in Boston, Massachusetts, June 24, 2013. (REUTERS)

The former Knights star and new Toronto Maple Leafs centre, who scored the Cup-winning goal for the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 6 of the final last month in Boston, will kick-off his 24-hour whirlwind with the famous mug Thursday morning with stops at the London Children's Hospital, his local gym (Empower Conditioning on Piccadilly) and his golf course (the Highland Country Club).

“I wanted to take it to the hospital because it's always a big thing for the kids,” he said. “I remember when I was a kid what a big deal it was (to see the Cup).”

The two-time Cup champ's local stop will be considerably less public than last year's day with Los Angeles Kings Jeff Carter and Drew Doughty, who rode downtown in a police tactical rescue vehicle before showing off the Cup at Budweiser Gardens.

Bolland plans to depart the city around 11:30 a.m. and return to his home in Mimico for a carbon-copy of his 2010 day with the Cup – an afternoon town parade followed by a party at The Blue Goose Tavern.

“For sure, it'll probably be a little easier this time knowing what's going to happen,” the 27-year-old said. “You get back to Toronto and it'll probably be packed down there.”

Bolland, a member of the 2005 Memorial Cup champion Knights, wanted to make sure he included London this time around. He has purchased an off-season home here.

“It's just a few minutes away from where Dale and Dylan (Hunter) live,” he said. “I love it. I'm not too far from Toronto if I have to get there and London's a nice place just to get away.

“It'll always be a special place for me.”

This is going to be a memorable year for Bolland. His wife Julia is expecting their first child at the end of September.

“It's two months off now and it's right in a good time before (his first Leafs) training camp,”he said. “For sure, I'm nervous. I should ask how everyone else on the team, with kids, what it was like for them (in the beginning).

“I'm really excited to be a parent.”

The Leafs, who traded for him six days after his Cup-winning goal, expect him to be his old ornery self on the ice for them this season. Bolland still remembers his first game back in Toronto with the 'Hawks against the Leafs.

“I had the game-winning goal at the (Air Canada Centre) against them,” he said. “It's going to be crazy. It's fun when you're going to play for Toronto. It's the Mecca of hockey. They're a huge team in the NHL and I'm excited to play for them.”

Not many days go by that Bolland isn't asked about his famous Cup winner with 58.2 seconds left in the third period to beat the Bruins.

“You don't expect to be the one to score it,” he said. “That'll always be a fun moment in my life.”